By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Popular South Korean international referee/judge David "Smiling" Chung collapsed and died of a heart attack in Osaka, Japan last Monday after refereeing the Orient Pacific Boxing Federation middleweight elimination bout between Australian champion Sakio Bika and Japan's Yoshihiro Araki. The news was relayed to Manila Standard by well-known businessman-sportsman Kusung Lee, manager of WBC featherweight champion Injin Chee who, together with WBC founding secretary general Rudy Salud are good friends of Chung.
Chung served as referee/judge in the October 2 OPBF lightweight title fight when Dennis Laurente scored a majority decision to retain his title against Japan's Chikashi Inada and scored the fight 115-115 in stark contrast to Filipino judge Capt. Ramon Flores who scored it by a ridiculously lopsided 119-110 and was subsequently warned by the Games and Amusements Board for this.
Japanese boxing manager and matchmaker Joe Koizumi said Chung had officiated in many OPBF and WBC title fights and "contrbuted much" to OPBF activities. Chung who called a halt to Monday's title fight and awarded Bika a TKO, he went to one of his favorite Korean restaurants with some friends. He suddenly became pale, began sweating profusely and lay down. Chung was rushed to hospital in an ambulance but he died on the way to the Osaka Police Hospital. Chung would have been 58 today.
